Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Junior Science and Humanities Symposium?
The Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (JSHS) is a national program that promotes and fosters research and experimentation in the natural sciences, engineering, and mathematics at the high school level. A distinguishing feature of the JSHS program is the opportunity given to young high school scientists to present original scientific research orally in a public forum. The JSHS program is jointly sponsored by the research offices of the United States Departments of the Army, Navy, and Air Force in cooperation with leading research universities throughout the nation. The Department of Defense generously provides funding for the National Symposium and the JSHS scholarships. The JSHS program is administered nationally through the Academy of Applied Science. The JSHS is endorsed by the National Association of Secondary School Principals.
What is the Tennessee JSHS?
Every year, more than 10,000 students from secondary schools in 50 states, Puerto Rico, and schools of Europe and the Pacific, in cooperation with the Department of Defense, participate in the Regional JSHS Symposia. The Tennessee Regional JSHS Program is administered by the University of Tennessee through collaboration of the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences, the College of Engineering, UT-ORNL Science Alliance, and UT-Battelle, management contractor for the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The regional JSHS meeting will be convened February 25-26, 2010 at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. The Tennessee JSHS program will sponsor the attendance and participation of selected high school science students and teachers. Attending students will be given the opportunity to present original research in written and oral form to a panel of University Science Faculty who will serve as judges.
Who can participate?
High School Students who have conducted an original research project in science, mathematics, or engineering, and who are willing to present this research to the Symposium in the form of written and oral presentations.
High School Students who have not yet performed independent research but who have displayed a keen interest in pursuing a career in science, engineering or mathematics.
High School Science Teachers who have mentored these students.
How does one apply to participate?
High school students who have completed an original research investigation in the sciences, engineering, or mathematics may apply to the regional symposium and vie for awards, including the opportunity to advance to the National symposium. All students in grades 9-12, enrolled in a public, private, or home school within the area served by the JSHS regional symposium are eligible.
Student research investigations in experimental, field, observational, or applied research are eligible. While review or library research is a part of the research process, these investigations alone are not appropriate for JSHS. The written and oral reports should present the results of original research carried out by the student. Students are encouraged to obtain assistance from teachers, mentors, parents, or other students.
Student and teacher participants must be nominated by their school using the respective student and teacher nomination forms. Nominations must be received no later than January 15, 2010 for consideration by the Tennessee JSHS program. For students who desire to present research results, the nomination needs to be accompanied by an abstract and a written research paper prepared along the guidelines described on this website. Financial support will be provided for the accommodations, travel and meals for three students and one supervising teacher from each participating school. Funding for up to seventy total student participants is available.
Are awards given at the Tennessee JSHS?
Scholarship awards to support the study of engineering, mathematics, or science at a college of the awardee’s choice will be presented to the three top students. A total of $4,500 in undergraduate, tuition scholarships, awarded at $2000, $1500, and $1000 to each of three Tennessee Regional Symposium finalists (scholarship payable upon matriculation). Only U.S. citizens and permanent residents of the U.S. and its territories are eligible to receive the scholarship awards.
Students with the first and second place research projects will receive an all expense-paid trip to attend and compete at the National JSHS program. Three additional students with meritorious research projects will also receive all-expenses paid trips to the National JSHS program as delegates from Tennessee.
In addition to student awards, the Tennessee JSHS will recognize one teacher for his/her contributions to the teaching and promotion of scientific research by high school students. This teacher will be recognized at the Symposium with a $500 award sponsored by the National Academy of Applied Sciences.
Finalists from the Tennessee Regional JSHS Symposium become eligible for the following scholarships and opportunities at the JSHS National Symposium:
- Six $16,000 undergraduate, tuition scholarships, awarded to each of the 1st place finalists in the National research paper competition
- Six $6,000 undergraduate, tuition scholarships, awarded to each of the 2nd place finalists in the National research paper competition
- Six $2,000 undergraduate, tuition scholarships, awarded to each of the 3rd place finalists in the National research paper competition
- An expense-paid trip to the London International Youth Science Forum, an exchange program bringing together over 400 participants from 60 nations. The London trip is awarded to each of the 1st place finalists; the runner-ups are alternate winners.